Candles can create a wonderful ambiance in almost any space, but to do that, it's imperative that you follow best burning practices.

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First and foremost, candle warnings labels exist for a reason, so be sure to read them and heed the warnings.  Not only will it help ensure that your candle burns how it was intended, but it can also ensure you don't have an accident waiting to happen on your hands.  Warning labels can vary from candle to candle, but our general warning label has the following information:

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WARNING:
To prevent fire & serious injury -
Burn candle within sight on heat resistant surface, away from combustibles, children, & pets.

Trim wick to 1/4" before each relighting. Keep wax pool free of debris.

Keep away from drafts. Do not burn candle for more than 4 hours at a time.

Do not allow flame to touch glass. Stop burning when 1/2" of solid wax remains

to avoid breakage. Do not extinguish with water.

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Although much of this may sound like common sense, it may not to someone else.  Or maybe there's something in there that you didn't know, like not burning for more than 4 hours at a time.  In this section, we'll take a look at some of these warnings further to explain why they're important to follow and how following them will ensure the best possible burn along with the safest.

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• One of the most important things you can do when burning your candle is to always keep your wick trimmed to 1/4" before each burn.  A wick that is too long may produce too large of a flame which can cause unnecessary smoke and soot, and more importantly can cause your jar to become too hot which can lead to the jar breaking or even exploding.  Keep your candle wick trimmed with a wick trimmer or even nail trimmers.  

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• Keeping the wax pool free of debris is important because things in the wax that shouldn't be there (dust, hair, wick trimmings, etc) can potentially catch fire while your candle is burning and cause flames that can get out of control.

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• A draft can cause your candle to create smoke when it burns which isn't good.  It can also cause your candle to burn inconsistently and create wax that looks uneven, and then if you keep burning it after that, it may not even back out and you'll end up not getting your full burn time potential.  So keep your candle away from open windows or doors, fans, air conditioners, and vents. 

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• So many people will burn their candles for hours on end and then seem surprised that their new candle is already gone.  If you want to get the most out of your candle, it is best to:

• Burn until your melted wax reaches all the edges of the jar each time (if you don't, this can cause tunneling)

• Burn for no more than 4 hours at a time 

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• Whenever you extinguish your candle, you should try to re-center your wick.  Occasionally as your candle burns down, your wick may wander over to one of the sides, and relighting it while it is not centered or allowing it to burn while it is not centered can cause your jar to become too hot and break or explode.

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• You want to get the most out of your candle, but it is important to stop burning your candle when 1/2" of solid wax remains, because if even the bottom of your jar becomes too hot, it can cause your jar to break or explode.  

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• The safest and best ways to extinguish your candle are: 

• Dip the tip of your wick in the melted wax using a wick dipper or even something like a screwdriver (you want something metal that won't catch fire that is also okay to get a little wax on), and then bring the extinguished wick tip back out of the melted wax.  Please note this is best done with cotton wicks, not wood wicks.

• Snuff the flame out with a candle snuffer or a metal lid.  

We don't recommend blowing the candle out since that can cause hot wax to spray onto your face and will also fill your room with smoke, taking away the pleasant aroma of your candle.  And never extinguish your candle with water because the temperature change can cause your jar to cool too quickly and potentially explode.  Also if you still have some of your candle left to burn, it will not burn if there is water mixed in with your wax.

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• The most important thing is to never leave your candle burning unattended and to not leave it in reach of children or pets.  Never ever go to sleep with your candle burning.  We all love candles and want to enjoy them, but it is so very important to burn them safely!!!

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Special Tips for Burning Woodwick Candles

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• Occasionally woodwicks may take a little extra time to light and stay lit.  Try holding the flame from your match or candle lighter on the wick for an extra couple of seconds while a small pool of candle wax forms around the wick.

 

• Allow your candle enough time to form a full melt pool before extinguishing.  This can take up to a few hours depending on the size of your jar.  

 

• Keep your woodwick trimmed short and free of the charred bits of wood (& other debris).  For optimal burn, woodwicks like to be trimmed to 1/8" - 1/4".  If your woodwick isn't staying lit, it could be that your wick is too long or that it needs to have the the charred wood trimmed off.

 

• If you are experiencing any candle tunneling, it may be because you didn't allow your candle enough time to form a full melt pool, but it is possible to fix this usually.  If your candle will stay lit, try giving it a good long burn (while keeping it in sight always) until the melted wax pool reaches the edges of the jar.  If your candle won't stay lit because it is "drowning" in a wax pool, try soaking some of the excess melted wax up with a paper towel, or pouring a bit of the melted wax onto a paper plate...then try relighting your candle; repeat this process as needed until your wick as enough room to breathe.  

 

• The size of your woodwick's flame can vary.  Even a very small flame can usually provide the scent throw and ambiance of the crackling woodwick that is enjoyable, but if your woodwick's flame gets too tall or looks too big, you may need to extinguish it and trim it back down to the correct height again.

 

• Always be sure your wick is still centered after burning.  If it isn't, once it is extinguished and the wax is still soft, gently pull the wick back to center to ensure  safe burning for next time.

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Other Tips & Troubleshooting

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• If you aren't getting enough scent from your candle, try burning it in a smaller room or set it somewhere closer to you.  Some fragrances are more subtle than others.

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• If you notices beads of "sweat" forming on the top of your candle, it is likely excess oil seeping through the wax.  If your candle wax is hard, try using a paper towel to gently dab away the "sweat" from the top of the candle.  This candle "sweat" should not effect the burn of your candle.

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• If you notice "frosting" on the sides of your candle or "bumpy" tops of your candle, these are natural occurrences in soy and coconut wax candles and do not effect the burn of your candle.

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Happy Candle Burning!

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